On day four, I woke up eager to begin one of the itinerary items I’ve been looking forward to most in Korea, a group taekwondo lesson. Having some kickboxing experience in high school, I’ve been excited to learn a different martial art in its country of origin. When we arrived at the lesson, we were instructed to remove our shoes and change into our dobok. As the instructor introduced several simple hitting and kicking motions, I was glad to finally learn the several moves I’d somewhat anticipated. However, I was surprised with how much there was to learn from taekwondo that didn’t involve any physical motion. Rather, I learned the principles of taekwondo that ensures someone is mentally strong. According to the instructor, it is important to challenge oneself often without immediately expecting assistance from others. The only way to improve is to try. Simultaneously, the instructor emphasized that above all mental strength lies in one’s ability to respect and help others. Such lessons are critical as I embark on new experiences and work to support my group during our time in country. More importantly, I will remember the time I spent learning taekwondo in Korea for the rest of my life and strive to maintain the lessons I’ve learned regarding mental strength.

Following our taekwondo lesson, we toured Seoul City Hall. Our tour guide explained the significance of the history of Korea, such as how the 1988 Olympics that occurred in Seoul contributed to the rest of the world viewing the country as strong and respected. However, the most memorable moment of the tour was the opportunity to sit in the mayor’s chair!

While in city hall, we also walked around the “Smart Seoul” exhibition, which emphasized the numerous ways smart systems are evident in the city. For example, the exhibition indicated that in order to be more eco-friendly, city hall’s windows are comprised of thermal glass that can sense and adjust temperature to conserve energy. Similarly, the exhibition highlighted “Metaverse Seoul,” which digitizes the many administrative tasks completed by city hall. Furthermore, Seoul City Hall can be considered a prime example of how urban areas can improve by fully integrating smart systems. I was extremely grateful for this opportunity as it demonstrates how technologies I may help develop in electrical and computer engineering may be implemented in the real-world.

Finally, Dr. Yun challenged us by giving each group a photo of a famous landmark in Seoul to attempt to navigate to in a friendly competition with the other groups. After comparing our image with a tourist map of Seoul, my group swiftly determined our destination was Culture Station. We rushed onto the subway and were championed the first group to reach their landmark! Lastly, we attended a delicious dinner at Amiso in Seoul. Trying more traditional Korean foods was a fitting end for a fun, culturally enriching day!